Police Subdue Man With Sword

A man brandishing a long, samurai-style sword held police at bay for some 11 hours Thursday on a downtown sidewalk before officers knocked him down with fire hoses and pinned him under a ladder.

The man, who did not appear to be injured, was strapped to a stretcher and transported to Harborview Medical Center late Thursday night.

Police evacuated a downtown block shortly before the lunch hour Thursday after the man began threatening people with the sword, police spokeswoman Carmen Best said.

City buses were brought in to provide a barrier between the man, who occupied a section of sidewalk in front of a restaurant, and the crowd of hundreds that gathered to watch the scene.

Assistant Police Chief Harvey Ferguson said the man “appeared to have some pretty severe mental problems” and was also “an incredibly tough person.”